beginning a restoration

[EccentricMagpies]

Hi,
I'm new to this site, and ... also, to the thoughts on a restoration project.

I found a great project, at least I believe it to be. ... My first question would be, what direction should I face the car inside the garage.  It's a 2 car garage
I have one open spot to do the work
It's a '74 Charger
The garage length is 21 feet.
Tuck under garage so the ceiling it only ~8ft high.

Probably not the ideal situations but I'm wondering if I'd be better off having the front end face the garage door or rear? 
Perhaps it's a horse a piece?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.


Thanks,
John

http://s938.photobucket.com/albums/ad227/EccentricMagpies/Second 74 Charger/

[MRCHARGER]

Picts didn't work for me. I guess the way I would do it is to have the front end face the garage door so I can pull the drive train out and send it off to where it will be stored. Make sure you "bag and tag" everything as you go. Write detailed instructions for reassembly and keep the part and it's coordinating fasteners all together. If you end up with a lengthy resto and have piles of fasteners at the end you will wrack your brain forever trying to figure out how to put stuff back. Be organized and it will be a lot more fun when you get to the good part; bolting it back together.

[tan top]

yeah like MR C said 

also  depending how much of a resto your doing ,  once the car is sriped to bare body shell , do say a section at a time ,  then leave it in etch primer then move on to the next section 

[furbyboy]

it would look nice out side

[EccentricMagpies]

Perfect!  Thanks.

Next step, I might as well see if it starts.

Been cooped up since '86 according to the tags.  Was told that the cylinders were kept sprayed and that the motor was turned by hand several times  a year.  So, hope that part is true.

More or less, I only want to see if it'll fire.  This way, before pulling the drivetrain, I'll know more about .. what I got.

[EccentricMagpies]

In the garage.

Placed a battery in it and it turned over pretty good.  Dropped some fuel in the carb and fired right up.  I would have liked to see it run for a bit but two things... probably pushing my luck, and the gas cap is a key entry.  I do not have the key.  I assumed it would match the trunk or ignition but that did not seem to work.  I did let gas trickle in the carb to let it run for ~20 seconds.  sounded great!!

Are there generic keys for the gas caps back then?  Or will I have to punch it out?  Or, maybe it is the ignition/trunk key and I'm just not forcing it enough?

The engine bay is a bit more rusted than I first thought.

Attached some photo's...

[EccentricMagpies]

engine bay.. bit of a window there

[EccentricMagpies]

..more

[EccentricMagpies]

engine seems to have kept up with the elements.